Stories for November 8th 2007

Thursday, November 8th 2007 - 20:00 UTC
Ban Ki-moon begins South American trip in Argentina

United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon arrived Wednesday in Argentina the first stop of his visit to three South American countries that will see him travel from the Amazon basin to Antarctica.
Thursday, November 8th 2007 - 20:00 UTC
Chinese “weak currency” curse sends US dollar tumbling

A Chinese official sent the US dollar plunging in markets when he said China would shift more of its huge international reserves into “stronger currencies” such as the Euro to offset “weak” currencies like the dollar.
Thursday, November 8th 2007 - 20:00 UTC
UN Court says it has cleared backlog of cases

The International Court of Justice, ICJ, the principal judicial organ of the United Nations, has essentially cleared its backlog of cases, the Court's President has told the General Assembly.
Thursday, November 8th 2007 - 20:00 UTC
Chilean scientists after funds for Antarctic research

Chile's Institute of Antarctica (INACH) has proposed a US$4 million microorganism research project for the increasingly disputed Antarctica. If funding is approved, Chilean scientists can look forward to spending the next four years on the icy continent.
Thursday, November 8th 2007 - 20:00 UTC
US/Peru trade agreement supported by Democrats

The United States House of Representatives approved Thursday, in a 285 to 132 vote, a long delayed free-trade agreement with Peru, the first such accord passed by Congress since the opposition Democrats won control last year.
Thursday, November 8th 2007 - 20:00 UTC
Petrobras hits major field and could join oil premier league

Brazil's state oil company announced Thursday that it had discovered as much as eight billion barrels of light crude in an ultra-deep field off the coast of Rio de Janeiro, an amount that could transform the country into a major world oil exporter.
Thursday, November 8th 2007 - 20:00 UTC
BoE adopts wait and see policy and leaves rates at 5.75%

The Bank of England left UK interest rates unchanged at 5.75% for the fourth month running. The Thursday decision is likely to have been influenced by the surging oil price and the growing risk of inflation.
Thursday, November 8th 2007 - 20:00 UTC
Euro interest rates on hold and geared to price stability

Despite the strength of the Euro which is closing on the 1.50 US dollar benchmark, the European Central Bank, ECB, left interest rates in the 13-nation Euro zone unchanged at 4% with a clear orientation towards maintaining price stability.
Thursday, November 8th 2007 - 20:00 UTC
Gibraltar, Spain and UK implement trilateral agreements

The communiqué on the meeting of the Forum of Dialogue on Gibraltar, between Spain, the United Kingdom and Gibraltar, which took place on November 5 and 6 in Castellar de la Frontera points out progress made in a long agenda of common issues.
Thursday, November 8th 2007 - 20:00 UTC
Ibero American summit spotlights on Michelle and Cristina

Chilean president Michelle Bachelet met for half an hour Thursday afternoon in the presidential palace La Moneda with elected president Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner. Although old friends this was the first official meeting of the elected president with a foreign leader.